Canada loses fight with US over meat labelling
Posted January 27, 2014 6:44 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA (NEWS1130) – Canada has lost its battle with the US government over meat labelling.
American lawmakers have refused to make changes to country-of-origin labelling that had been sought by the Canadian government and beef and pork producers.
Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade Minister Ed Fast say they’re disappointed, adding Canada may retaliate by imposing tariffs on a wide range of American products.
Country-of-origin labelling rules are blamed for complicating the import of meat and livestock into the US from Canada and for reducing the amount of Canadian exports to the country by half since 2008.
The rules require detailed labels about the origins of beef, pork and chicken sold in US stores.
That drives up the price tag of Canadian exports and undermines their competitiveness, causing about $1 billion a year in losses.
